The present invention is directed to bicycles and, more particularly, to various features of a bicycle brake device.
Bicycle brake control devices typically are mounted to the handlebar of the bicycle. Such devices often comprise a brake bracket that is mounted to the handlebar and a lever member that is movably mounted to the brake bracket. When the brake apparatus is operated using hydraulic power, the lever member is operatively connected to the brake apparatus via a hydraulic fluid transmission unit that generates hydraulic pressure in accordance with the movement of the lever member and transmits this pressure to the brake apparatus.
The hydraulic fluid transmission unit typically is integrally formed with the bracket. The hydraulic fluid transmission unit has a tank that stores the hydraulic fluid, a master cylinder, and a piston. The piston is constructed such that one end can come into contact with the lever member. When the lever member is moved toward the handlebar, pressure is exerted on another end of the piston to compress the hydraulic fluid from the tank into the master cylinder.
A joint securing area for securing a rotatable connecting joint, termed a xe2x80x98banjoxe2x80x99, is disposed on the hydraulic fluid transmission unit. The connecting joint serves to fluidly connect the master cylinder to a brake hose, which acts as a hydraulic pipe. The connecting joint typically comprises a cylindrical member, a bolt member that extends through the center of the cylindrical member and screws into the joint securing area, and a hose connector that extends radially outwardly from the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member. The outer circumferential surface of the hose connector is adapted to be inserted into the brake hose. A caulking member is fixed to the hose connector with a gap between it and the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical member in order to caulk and secure the brake hose to the hose connector.
A fluid pathway is formed in the bolt member such that fluid from the master cylinder travels through the tip of the bolt member and through the center of the bolt member. The fluid pathway opens out to the outer circumferential area of the bolt member at an intermediate location of the bolt member. The inner diameter of the cylindrical member is larger than the outer diameter of the bolt member, so a hydraulic fluid path is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the bolt member and the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member. This fluid path communicates the brake fluid to the hose connector and then to the braking apparatus. O-rings are disposed between one side surface of the cylindrical member and the hydraulic fluid transmission unit and between the other side surface of the cylindrical member and the top of the bolt member. When the connecting joint and the brake hose are assembled in this manner, the brake hose generally is oriented at an angle to the hydraulic fluid transmission unit in a manner that it does not become an obstacle even if the handlebar is turned.
When a connecting joint of the type having a bolt member as described above is mounted to a conventional hydraulic fluid transmission unit, the bolt member is rotated in a clockwise direction, for example, to tighten the bolt and thereby secure the connecting joint to the hydraulic fluid transmission unit. However, as the bolt member becomes tighter with the cylindrical member, the cylindrical member may rotate clockwise together with the bolt member, and the brake hose orientation may deviate from the desired direction. Similarly, when the bolt member is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to remove the connecting joint from the hydraulic fluid transmission unit, the cylindrical member may rotate counterclockwise together with the bolt member until the frictional force between the cylindrical member and the bolt member is sufficiently relieved. This results in the brake hose being pulled. Consequently, attaching and removing the connecting joint from the hydraulic fluid transmission unit becomes difficult and risks damage and/or misalignment of the brake hose.
The present invention is directed to inventive features of a bicycle brake device. In one embodiment, a brake control device is provided for connecting to a hydraulic fluid conduit, wherein the hydraulic fluid conduit has a first end for connecting to the brake control device and a second end for connecting to a braking apparatus. The brake control device comprises a bracket that can be mounted to a handlebar of the bicycle, a brake operating member that is movably coupled to the bracket, and a hydraulic fluid transmission unit disposed on the bracket. The hydraulic fluid transmission unit is structured to communicate a hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic fluid conduit in response to movement of the brake operating member. A joint securing area is disposed on the hydraulic fluid transmission unit, wherein the joint securing area is structured to couple to the first end of the hydraulic fluid conduit. A rotation restrictor is disposed at the joint securing area, wherein the rotation restrictor is structured to restrict rotation of the first end of the hydraulic fluid conduit relative to the joint securing area. Additional inventive features will become apparent from the description below, and such features may be combined with the above features to provide additional benefits.